1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a terminal and a method for providing a file inside the terminal, and more particularly, to a terminal and a method for providing file-related data inside the terminal through an accessed application.
2. Discussion of the Background
Terminals that are recently available in the market can perform a variety of operations, such as reproduction and storage of multimedia contents. For example, by integrating a camera function, a document management function, a motion picture reproduction function, and the like into terminals, the terminals can create and store image files, text files, motion picture files, and the like or can download such files through a communication network and reproduce the files. In addition, since there are various types of applications performing such functions, various types of files are stored in a terminal, and the files to be stored are stored in various spaces and different folders of the terminal in a distributed manner. In order to manage various files stored in the terminal, a file management application stored in the terminal is used, or the terminal is connected to a personal computer (PC), and files stored in the terminal are managed by using the PC. For example, when a file stored in a terminal is desired to be copied into a PC, the terminal is connected through a wired connection cable, e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) type connection cable, the location of the file to be copied is checked, and the file is copied into the PC.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a PC and a terminal when the terminal and the PC are connected through a USB connection cable. The PC and the terminal are connected to each other, and files stored in the terminal may be searched and managed in the PC. However, since there are many applications, system files, folders, and the like, it may not be easy for a user to search for a file from among the files stored in the terminal by using a search operation of the PC.
In a case where folders and files stored in the mobile terminal are to be copied into the PC, only folders and files that are designated in accordance with the protocol according to a PC-to-terminal connection type may be accessible. As illustrated in FIG. 1, many folders and files designated in accordance with the protocol according to a USB connection appear on a window of an external drive or external device corresponding to the terminal. In such a case, it may be difficult for a user to search for a location at which a folder or a file desired by the user exists in the terminal. For example, when pictures photographed last summer are to be copied into the PC, the user may need to remember a path in which the corresponding image files are stored or to check individual folders.
Further, in a file management system of a conventional terminal, a specific folder is arbitrarily created in accordance with a configuration of an application, and the interface of the terminal provides an access method that is mainly based on the application, which is different from a personal computer in which an access is made based on files and folders. Accordingly, since it is more difficult to check the source of each folder from user's standpoint, a problem of a malfunction of the terminal may occur due to user's erroneous deletion of a specific folder related to the driving of the system through a file manager. Thus, in a mobile platform, it may not be easy for a user to check the functions and operations of various folders and files, which are stored in the terminal, inside the terminal and applications with which such folders and files are associated, and accordingly, the above-described problem may occur.
In a case where an application is installed to a conventional terminal of Android™ mobile platform, an application file is stored in the form of “*.apk” in “/system/Application” or “/data/application” through a package manager, and installation-related files are stored together. In addition, new files may be created and stored through the application (for example, a picture file generated using a camera application). In other words, various files relating to a specific application may be generated and stored in the terminal, and such files may be stored at various locations having different paths.
Nevertheless, only files stored in a designated area at the time of installation of applications are managed by a package manager, and files stored in a portion other than the designated area are not separately managed. Thus, detailed management of all the files stored in the terminal is not performed, and there is a problem that files occupying a part of the storage area are not recognizable to a user and thus are neglected. Further, although an application is uninstalled, several folders and/or files generated by the uninstalled program remain in different locations without deletion. Thus, memories and files may not be effectively managed by simply uninstalling applications.
Further, when an external device is connected to a mobile terminal, a real-time file mounting has not been provided for a convenient access to files and folders of the mobile terminal in accordance with a selection of an object displayed on the mobile terminal.